NASA Audit Flags 3 Starliner Failures, Delays Certification Until at Least 2027
Updated
Updated · Space.com · Jul 1
NASA Audit Flags 3 Starliner Failures, Delays Certification Until at Least 2027
3 articles · Updated · Space.com · Jul 1
Summary
Three unresolved Starliner problems — helium leaks, propulsion failures and parachute anomalies — left NASA uncertain as of March 2026 when Boeing can complete testing and win human-rating certification.
The OIG said those flaws, exposed across two uncrewed flights and the 2024 Crew Flight Test, reflect NASA overconfidence, Boeing's unrealistic schedules and NASA's failure to use data rights to review simulation-training failures.
21 months passed before NASA reclassified the 2024 crewed test as a Type A mishap in February 2026, a delay the audit tied to ambiguous requirements that raised costs and safety risks.
Boeing's next Starliner mission is now planned as uncrewed with no launch date, while SpaceX has absorbed the gap — adding $17 million in accelerated flights and preparing its 13th operational ISS crew mission for September.
NASA accepted all recommendations, including delaying Boeing payments until certification, setting a new Starliner schedule and prioritizing hiring as workforce cuts threaten oversight through the ISS's planned 2030 end.
With critical Starliner issues unresolved and certification unlikely before 2027, can Boeing recover its role in human spaceflight before the ISS retires?
As NASA grows more dependent on SpaceX due to Starliner delays, how will it safeguard against the risks of relying on a single commercial provider?
Given repeated delays in Starliner and spacesuit development, is NASA’s fixed-price contracting approach undermining innovation and mission safety?